C.J. Gish
Levy County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) deputies are investigating a fatal shooting of an Old Town man in a southside Chiefland residence.
Deputies found James Robert McCualsky Jr., 23, suffering from a single gunshot wound at about 5:20 a.m. Saturday morning. Emergency responders treated McCualsky and transported him to a Gainesville hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
According to LCSO spokesperson Lt. Scott Tummond, earlier in the evening an allegedly intoxicated McCaulsky was involved in a car accident.
“Friends took [McCaulsky] to their home to sleep it off,” Tummond said. “Around 5 a.m., a disoriented [McCaulsky] got up and went to the property next door and started pounding on the door.”
The startled homeowner, who did not know McCaulsky, told him to leave and, when the homeowner opened the door, McCaulsky allegedly rushed him and the homeowner fired one shot at him.
Tummond said when police arrived, McCaulsky was still in the entryway of the house where he had been shot.
The LCSO Criminal Investigations Division processed the crime scene, and detectives believe they have identified all persons involved in the incident.
“Right now we don’t anticipate filing charges, but we are still investigating,” Tummond said. “At face value, it looks like the homeowner was defending his home.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated.